BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The primary determinant for patient referral by general dental practitioners (GDPs) to periodontists differs based on the country of practice. Moreover, previous research has revealed that GDP preferences for managing periodontal patients, actual number of referrals, and the overall decision-making process have evolved over time. Understanding the periodontal referral pattern of Filipino GDPs could help identify factors that promote or inhibit referral to periodontists. These factors may in turn be used as basis for the formulation of periodontal referral guidelines for use by GDPs in the Philippines. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors that affect the referral patterns of Filipino GDPs to periodontists, with GDPs practicing in the City of Manila as the representative population.

A descriptive cross-sectional study design with the use of a self-administered survey was utilized for this study. Participants were 75 licensed dentists practicing in the City of Manila who were members of the Philippine Dental Association-Manila Dental Chapter. The questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, periodontal referral pattern, and the factors considered by the participants when referring patients to a periodontist. Descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) were used to report the study’s findings.

Majority (92%) indicated that they regularly referred patients with periodontal disease to periodontists, with a personal estimate of up to 20 periodontal case referrals monthly by 81.3% of the participants and >20 referrals for 10.7%. The clinical factors considered as most important when referring to a periodontist were the type of periodontal disease (81.3% of the participants), periodontitis severity (74.7%), and the presence of a complex medical history 61.3%). Among the nonclinical factors, the most influential were the following: uncooperative patient (32% of the participants), perceived personal skill (24%), postgraduate training of the periodontist (21.3%), and the patient’s financial capacity (13.3%).

Multiple factors affect the decision of general dental practitioners in the City of Manila when referring patients to a periodontist. Majority are influenced by clinical factors such as the type and severity of periodontal disease and the systemic condition of the patient. Although considered to a much lesser degree compared to clinical factors, the top nonclinical factors that Manila GDPs base their referral decisions include the assessment that a patient is uncooperative and the perceived adequacy of personal skills in managing periodontal patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic efficacy of micro crestal flap-alveolar ridge preservation following extraction of mandibular molars with severe periodontitis compared with natural healing, and to preliminarily propose the surgical indication. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from patients with mandibular molars with severe periodontitis either receiving micro crestal flap-alveolar ridge preservation (MCF-ARP group) or undergoing natural healing in department of periodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from September 2013 to June 2021. Cone-beam computed tomography scannings performed before/immediately after extraction (as baseline) and repeated before implantation (after the extraction socket healing) were used to measure the ridge width, height and volumetric changes of the sockets, and the proportion of guided bone regeneration (GBR) during implant therapy were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Between baseline and healing, significant differences in changes of MCF-ARP group [(8.34±2.81) mm] and natural healing group [(3.82±3.58) mm] in the distances from mandibular canal to center of the tooth socket were recorded (P < 0.001). The ridge width at 1 mm below the most coronal aspect of the crest increased by (3.50±4.88) mm in the MCF-ARP group but decreased by (0.16±5.70) mm in the natural healing group, respectively (P=0.019). After healing, the MCF-ARP group showed the distances from mandibular canal to center of the tooth socket >8 mm in all the cases, with 97.1% exceeding 10 mm. Natural healing group displayed 23.1% of the cases with center bone height < 8 mm and 61.5% exceeding 10 mm. Volume changes at the buccal and lingual aspect as well as the total socket were significantly greater in the MCF-ARP group compared with natural healing group (P < 0.001).At the time of implantation, GBR was performed in 5 out of 68 subjects (8.3%) in the MCF-ARP group, whereas 8 out of 26 subjects (30.8%) in the natural healing group required GBR, reflecting significant difference (P=0.003). CONCLUSION In the sites of mandibular molars with severe periodontitis, when the distances from mandibular canal to center of the tooth socket was not enough (less than 7 mm), clinicians could consider performing the micro crestal flap-alveolar ridge preservation to achieve augmentation for alveolar ridge and reduce the proportion of guided bone regeneration during implant therapy to reduce the difficulty and risk of injuries during implant therapy.
Humans ; Tooth Extraction ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Molar/surgery* ; Mandible/surgery* ; Female ; Periodontitis/surgery* ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Alveolar Ridge Augmentation/methods* ; Alveolar Process/surgery* ; Tooth Socket/diagnostic imaging* ; Dental Implantation, Endosseous/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of concentrated growth factors (CGF) in the treatment of periodontal cement defects using calcium phosphate cement (CPC) with self-curing properties. METHODS: Thirty-six intrabony defects were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group received CGF+CPC treatment (n=18), while the control group received CPC treatment alone (n=18). The probing depth, clinical attachment loss, and hard tissue filling as measured by cone beam CT (CBCT) were evaluated at baseline and 1 year postoperatively in both groups, and the levels of major growth factors in CGF and serum were compared [platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)]. RESULTS: At baseline, there were no statistically significant differences in probing depth, clinical attachment loss and CBCT measurements between the two groups (P>0.05). At 1 year postoperatively, significant improvements were observed in parameters mentioned above in both groups (P < 0.05). The CGF+CPC group seemed more effective compared with the CPC group in reduction of probing depth [(4.5±1.3) mm vs. (3.2±1.1) mm] and clinical attachment gain [(3.8±0.9) mm vs. (2.0±0.5) mm, P < 0.05]. Compared with the group treated with CPC alone, the hard tissue filling degree shown by CBCT in the CGF+CPC group was significantly increased [the reduction of the depth of the intrabony defects was (3.9±1.2) mm vs. (2.1±0.7) mm, respectively, P < 0.01]. At 1 year post-operatively, the volume of the intrabony defects shown by CBCT in the CGF+CPC group was reduced by (0.031 8±0.004 1) mL, which was significantly more than that in the CPC group [(0.019 7±0.001 2) mL, P < 0.05]. In addition, the concentration of the main growth factors (PDGF-BB, TGF-β1, IGF-1, and VEGF) in CGF were higher than those in serum (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION After 1 year of follow-up, the results of the present study indicated that CGF could significantly improve the clinical and radiological effects of CPC on the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects.
Humans ; Calcium Phosphates/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Bone Cements/therapeutic use* ; Middle Aged ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Alveolar Bone Loss/therapy* ; Becaplermin ; Adult ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/therapeutic use* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis/blood* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/blood* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/blood*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of clear aligner therapy in patients with severe periodontitis accompanied by pathological tooth displacement in the anterior region. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed patients diagnosed with severe periodontitis and pathological displacement in the anterior region, who visited both the Periodontics and Orthodontics Departments at Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology between 2019 and 2022. A total of 26 eligible cases were included in this study. All the patients underwent regular periodontal maintenance throughout the treatment process, and clear aligners were used for orthodontic treatment. Intraoral scans were analyzed by dedicated software to measure and compare occlusal distribution and proximal contact scores before and after orthodontic treatment. Periodontal clinical indicators were assessed at three key time points: before periodontal treatment (T0), before orthodontic treatment (T1), and after orthodontic treatment (T2). All the cases were treated with clear aligner. RESULTS: A total of 217 pathologically displaced anterior teeth from 26 patients were analyzed. Among these, 105 teeth exhibited periodontal pockets [probing depth (PD) ≥5 mm] before periodontal treatment. After clear aligner therapy, the occlusal score improved significantly from 10.35±8.61 to 23.62±9.73 (P < 0.001), and the proximal contact score increased from 13.62±4.73 to 31.62±10.37 (P < 0.001). The median PD decreased significantly from 3.33 mm [interquartile range (IQR)=0.92] at T0 to 2.50 mm (IQR=0.67, P < 0.001) at T1 and remained stable at 2.50 mm (IQR=0.50) after treatment (T2). A significant reduction in PD was observed between T0 and T2 (P < 0.001), but no significant difference was found between T1 and T2 (P=0.948). CONCLUSION Clear aligner therapy demonstrates favorable clinical efficacy in patients with severe periodontitis and pathological anterior tooth displacement. It effectively improves occlusal distribution and proximal contact while maintaining periodontal health in these patients. However, further large-scale prospective controlled studies are needed to verify its long-term clinical outcomes.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Periodontitis/therapy* ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Tooth Migration/therapy* ; Tooth Movement Techniques/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Orthodontic Appliances, Removable

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with oral bleeding. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on patients with oral bleeding in the Department of Oral Emergency in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 2019 to December 2022. The distribution of the patients ' gender, age, cause of bleeding, systemic condition, treatment methods and risk factors of hemostasis methods, and number of visits were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 4 764 patients with oral bleeding were enrolled, including 2 660 males (55.84%) and 2 104 females (44.16%), with an average age of 40.7 years. The most common causes of oral bleeding were bleeding after tooth extraction (3 080 cases, 64.65%), followed by gingival bleeding (1 386 cases, 29.09%), bleeding after outpatient surgery (194 cases, 4.07%), maxillofacial mass bleeding (33 cases, 0.69%), postoperative bleeding of inpatient (24 cases, 0.50%), and bleeding from other causes (47 cases, 0.99%). Simple hemostatic methods were applied in 1 867 cases (39.19%) while 2 897 cases (60.81%) used complex methods, among which iodine strip tamponade and suture were the most commonly used methods of hemostasis. Logistic regression analysis showed that the male patients had a higher proportion of complex methods than the female patients; gingival bleeding were often stopped by simple hemostatic methods while complex methods were more likely to be applied in the patients with bleeding after tooth extraction. The patients with hypertension and coagulation disorders were more likely to visit the hospital for repeated bleeding. Gender and age did not affect the number of visits. CONCLUSION Oral bleeding was one of the common diseases in oral emergency. The common causes were bleeding after tooth extraction and gingival bleeding. Most patients could be treated by compression, local suture and packing of iodine strips while some cases with severe bleeding needed further treatment to stop bleeding. A minority of patients with oral bleeding could induce systemic complications, which should be paid full attention by clinicians.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Risk Factors ; Middle Aged ; Tooth Extraction/adverse effects* ; Oral Hemorrhage/epidemiology* ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Aged ; Child ; Hemostatic Techniques ; Emergencies ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child, Preschool ; Gingival Hemorrhage/etiology*

The prevalence of periodontitis in China is as high as 74.2%, making it the leading cause of tooth loss in adults and severely impacting both oral and overall health. The treatment of periodontitis and periodontal tissue regeneration are global challenges of significant concern. GE Shaohua' s group at School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shandong University has focused on the key scientific issue of "remodeling the periodontal inflammatory microenvironment and optimizing tissue repair and regeneration". They have elucidated the mechanisms underlying the persistence of periodontitis, developed bioactive materials to enhance stem cell regenerative properties, and constructed a series of guided tissue regeneration barrier membranes to promote periodontal tissue repair, leading to the establishment of a comprehensive technology system for the treatment of periodontitis. Specific achievements and progress include: (1) Elucidating the mechanism by which key periodontal pathogens evade antimicrobial autophagy, leading to inflammatory damage; developing intelligent antimicrobial hydrogels and nanosystems, and creating metal-polyphenol network microsphere capsules to reshape the periodontal inflammatory microenvironment; (2) Explaining the mechanisms by which nanomaterial structures and electroactive interfaces regulate stem cell behavior, developing optimized nanostructures and electroactive biomaterials, thereby effectively enhancing the regenerative repair capabilities of stem cells; (3) Creating a series of biphasic heterogeneous barrier membranes, refining guided tissue regeneration and in situ tissue engineering techniques, stimulating the body' s intrinsic repair potential, and synergistically promoting the structural regeneration and functional reconstruction of periodontal tissues. The research outcomes of the group have innovated the fundamental theories of periodontal tissue regeneration, broken through foreign technological barriers and patent blockades, established a cascade repair strategy for periodontal regeneration, and enhanced China' s core competitiveness in the field of periodontal tissue regeneration.
Humans ; Stem Cells/physiology* ; Periodontitis/therapy* ; Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal/methods* ; Regeneration ; Biocompatible Materials ; Tissue Engineering/methods*

Periodontitis has become one of the most widespread chronic inflammatory diseases worldwide, affecting roughly 11% of the adult population. In China, periodontal health is notably poor, with less than 10% of individuals over the age of 35 maintaining periodontal health, while the prevalence of periodontitis in middle-aged and elderly populations reaches as high as 82.6%. From a public health perspective, periodontitis not only seriously compromises oral health but is also closely linked to multiple chronic systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and cognitive impairment. A substantial body of cohort studies and meta-analyses consistently demonstrate that patients with periodontitis are at a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events. Moreover, periodontitis tends to progress more rapidly in individuals with diabetes, highlighting a bidirectional causal relationship between these two conditions. Our research team has maintained a long-term focus on elucidating the relationship between periodontitis and systemic diseases within Chinese community populations. In this review, we comprehensively summarize epidemiological findings on the associations between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and cognitive decline, specifically drawing on data from Chinese cohorts. Complementing these observations, animal experiments provide evidence that experimental periodontitis can induce glucose intolerance and accelerate the development of atherosclerotic lesions. At the mechanistic level, we preliminarily validate that mitochondrial DNA efflux and the hematogenous spread of periodontal pathogens may act as biological conduits bridging local periodontal inflammation with systemic pathologies. We also address current challenges in the field, including difficulties in disentangling causal relationships due to confounding comorbidities like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which often coexist and influence each other. To advance understanding, there is an urgent need for well-designed longitudinal and interventional studies employing advanced causal inference methods. Ultimately, this work aims to deepen the current knowledge of periodontitis ' systemic effects and to support the development of evidence-based public health strategies for integrating oral health into chronic disease prevention efforts in China.
Humans ; Periodontitis/complications* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Metabolic Syndrome/etiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors

Saliva is an important body fluid in the oral cavity containing lots of biomarkers, whose inherent micro-ecosystem holds significant value for early diagnosis and monitoring of oral diseases. Simultaneously, saliva has particular advantages, such as ease of sampling, painless and non-invasive collection, and suitability for repeated sampling, making it highly appropriate for surveillance and follow-up of diseases. In a series of studies conducted by the research group for preventive dentistry in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, we compared different segments of saliva and those samples collected via different sampling methods using proteomic/peptidomic and microbiomic technologies to explore the stability of saliva samples. Besides, the significance of applying representative salivary biomarkers in early prevention and control of representative oral diseases (e.g. dental caries, periodontal diseases) and systemic conditions (e.g. type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease) was confirmed as well.
Humans ; Saliva/chemistry* ; Dental Caries/diagnosis* ; Biomarkers/analysis* ; Periodontal Diseases/diagnosis* ; Mouth Diseases/diagnosis* ; Proteomics/methods* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/diagnosis* ; Microbiota ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/prevention & control*

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of synovial tissue, is divided into two subtypes-anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA)-positive and ACPA-negative RA. While the pathogenic mechanisms of ACPA-positive RA are well-understood, the etiology of ACPA-negative RA remains largely unknown. The association between RA and periodontitis (PD) has been observed since the early 1900s, with the two diseases sharing common genetic and environmental risk factors that lead to the progressive destruction of bone and connective tissue. However, the associations between PD and the two subtypes of RA differ. This comprehensive review aims to provide an updated understanding of the epidemiological association between RA and PD, explore potential pathogenic mechanisms linking the two diseases, and highlight the key distinctions between the subtypes of RA and their respective associations with PD. We also discuss the possibility of early intervention or the treatment of the two diseases. Ultimately, this review aims to provide valuable insights for future research in this field.
Humans ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications* ; Periodontitis/complications* ; Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies/immunology* ; Risk Factors

Periodontitis is a common oral disease caused by bacteria coupled with an excessive host immune response. Stem cell therapy can be a promising treatment strategy for periodontitis, but the relevant mechanism is complicated. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of mitochondria from human embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hESC-MSCs) for the treatment of periodontitis. The gingival tissues of periodontitis patients are characterized by abnormal mitochondrial structure. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) were exposed to 5 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h to establish a cell injury model. When treated with hESC-MSCs or mitochondria derived from hESC-MSCs, HGFs showed reduced expression of inflammatory genes, increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and enhanced mitochondrial function compared to the control. The average efficiency of isolated mitochondrial transfer by hESC-MSCs was determined to be 8.93%. Besides, a therapy of local mitochondrial injection in mice with LPS-induced periodontitis showed a reduction in inflammatory gene expression, as well as an increase in both the mitochondrial number and the aspect ratio in gingival tissues. In conclusion, our results indicate that mitochondria derived from hESC-MSCs can reduce the inflammatory response and improve mitochondrial function in HGFs, suggesting that the transfer of mitochondria between hESC-MSCs and HGFs serves as a potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of stem cells.
Humans ; Gingiva/cytology* ; Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Mitochondria/physiology* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology* ; Animals ; Periodontitis/therapy* ; Mice ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Inflammation ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Human Embryonic Stem Cells/cytology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism* ; Male